04/10/14: FX Networks CEO John Landgraf : HBO Emmy move “unfair”

something INFECTIOUS:The Walking Dead is the #1 show on televisionsomething POWERFUL:Mad Men is the most upscale drama on television among A18-49something REVOLUTIONARY:
AMC’s new original spy drama TURN premiered to over 2M viewers on April 6th

FX Networks CEO John Landgraf called foul on HBO entering True Detective in the drama series Emmy category rather than as a mini-series. The day of the FX Upfront, Landgraf laid the blame on a “freewheeling and ambiguous situation,” with shows like FX anthology series American Horror Story and True Detective defined as having “dual eligibility,” where the producer makes the category call. It’s “patently unfair” to actors who sign on for seven years of a series, said Landgraf, to pack the drama series category with A-listers like Matthew McConaughey who aren’t bound to a multi-year contract.

IN THE NEWS

The biggest skeptic at a Capitol Hill hearing on Wednesday over the Comcast and Time Warner Cable merger: Senator Al Franken (D-Minn). “I believe this deal will result in fewer choices, higher prices and even worse service for my constituents,” said the Saturday Night Live alum. Because the two companies don’t compete against each other anywhere, countered Comcast EVP David Cohen, “The transaction will not lead to any reduction in competition or consumer choice in any market.”

Think ahead or get left behind, FCC chairman Tom Wheeler warned broadcasters in a speech at the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas. “Your content represents far more than the potential for retransmission fees,” said Wheeler, urging station owners to think more like Netflix. “Broadcast licensees are in the pole position to leverage off that trend to deliver broader OTT services anchored in local news and information.”

NBC is launching an online search for comedy writers. Two winners of “NBC Comedy Playground”will have the chance to create shows to air on the net in summer 2015; celebs involved in selecting the top concepts include Eva Longoria, Sean Hayes, Mindy Kaling and Seth Meyers. Another winner, decided by public vote, lands an online comedy. Applications accepted at http://NBCComedyPlayground.com starting May.

BBC America teased fans with the release of four Orphan Black posters it says offer insight into season two of the conspiracy thriller, premiering Saturday, April 19 at 9p.

A blackout of 25 Hearst-ownedstations on Dish Network was over almost before it started. A mere 14 hours after the stations went dark thanks to a retrans dispute – in markets including Boston, Tampa, Pittsburgh and New Orleans – the fight was over, with Hearst saying it was “pleased the interruption was brief.”

Nat Geo WILD ordered a second season of Cesar Millan: Love My Pit Pull, from ITV Studios America. Show next airs Friday, April 18 at 9p.

The Americans got a third season renewal on FX. At the net’s Upfront, FX Networks CEO John Landgraf noted that while live numbers have slipped, the show’s DVR viewership is “unlike anything I have ever seen. Live viewing is essentially just 20 percent of the whole.”

Twentieth Television and the FOX Television Stations announced the renewal of Divorce Court through the 2016-17 season. Currently in its 15th season, Divorce Court boasted a seven-year viewer high during February sweeps, averaging nearly 3 million viewers an episode, up 49 percent over year ago.

COMING UP

TV Land is taking a shot at a Candid Camera reboot. Co-produced by Electus and Candid Camera, Inc., the hidden camera reality show will launch this summer.

When The Simpsons debuts on FXX in August, it’s debuting big: The net is launching the long-running series’ first cable run with a 12-day, 552-episode marathon. “It will be the longest continuous marathon in the history of television,” said FX Networks’ John Landgraf. As for the show’s upcoming app? “I’m absolutely blown away,” said the exec. “This could well be the best app I have ever seen.”

Myx TV, the English-language multicultural Asian American entertainment net, is launching a docu-series about unique and sometimes controversial Asian Americans. “I’m Asian American and…,’ aims to challenge the ‘model minority’ Asian American stereotype by presenting unique and universally interesting individuals,” General Manager of Myx TV Miguel Santos tells Cynopsis. “The series is both provocative and groundbreaking, and explores the Asian American experience in both tongue-in-cheek and profound ways. It’s a powerful first step in more realistic and diverse Asian American representation on television.” From Thirsty Tiger Television, series debuts Wednesday, April 23 at 8p.

Lifetime ordered unscripted series Relative Insanity from Fly on the Wall Entertainment. Two families will be locked in rooms for two days to work out their issues. Up for grabs: a $25,000 prize. Show premieres Friday, April 25 at 10p.

The 2014 MTV Movie Awards will offer a sneak peek from X-Men: Days of Future Past.Cast member Ellen Page will introduce the clip from the film, out May 23. Awards show airs live on Sunday, April 13 at 9p.

Independent public media organization KCETLink and Pivot announced the joint premiere of original two-part documentary special, Stand Up Planet, showing “an uprising of fresh and fearless comics changing the world one joke at a time.” The doc block, featuring new comedians as well as legends Bill Cosby, Carl Reiner and Norman Lear, will air on Link TV and Pivot Wednesday, May 14 at 7p.

The parents of Reeva Steenkamp, the South-African model killed by Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius, speak out in a documentary produced for Investigation Discovery by NBC News‘ Peacock Productions. Pistorius on Trial: Nowhere to Run premieres Sunday, April 13 at 9p.

E! Best Moments: On the Air with Ryan Seacrest looks back at some of the host’s most memorable interviews from his KIIS-FM American Top 40 post. Special airs Wednesday, April 23 at 8p.

Mission to the Edge of Space: The Inside Story of Red Bull Stratos debuts on U.S. television Sunday, April 13 at 10, continuing Monday, April 14 at 9 on Outside. The Red Bull Media doc recounts skydiver Felix Baumgartener‘s path to breaking the sound barrier.

BRANDS & ADVERTISING

Smirnoff’s new “Exclusivity Is for Everybody” campaign features Alison Brie (Community) and Adam Scott (Parks and Recreation) as two friends planning a party, in a long-form digital film as well as six 30-second spots. The creative, from 72andSunny, is being introduced with a fully integrated campaign across all media and a national partnership with Spotify for an “Ultimate House Party” sweepstakes.

CASTING

Michael Gross (Family Ties) will play the founder of a faltering DVD distribution company on Suits, when the USA drama returns for season four this summer.

Tony Award-winning Donna Murphy will guest on season six of USA‘s Royal Pains, coming back this summer with 13 new episodes. Murphy will play a financial representative with ties to Boris’s bank.

How I Met Your Mother‘s Cobie Smulders, who played S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Maria in the Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. pilot and in The Avengers and Captain America: The Winter Soldier films, will reprise the character again on ABC‘s Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., reports TVLine. The ep airs during sweeps (of course) on Tuesday, April 29 at 8p.

CASTING CALL:SINGLE PARENTS w/teens (ages 14-20)/Nationwide: For a brand new docu-series on a major network. Be whisked away on a summer vacation you all will remember forever. Doron Ofir Casting is proud to introduce the official call. More info/apply: www.summertimecasting.com (4/16)

AT THE UPFRONTS

ASPiRE held its Upfront presentations on its Upfront Tour Bus, the net’s mobile venue for client meetings, and unveiled a roster showcasing its commitment to bringing positive African-American images to viewers. “Our advertisers and partners know that ASPiRE connects them to viewers looking for relevant and relatable images of positive Black culture on TV,” said Ty Johnson, VP, multicultural sales & development. “With ASPiRE Chairman and CEO Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson‘s long history of connecting brands to the community, our viewers have embraced the impact we’re having and difference we’re making with positive entertainment for African-American families and urban professionals.”

New shows premiering in the fall include documentaries Closure, about a trans-racial adoptee, and The Wayman Tisdale Story, celebrating the life of the late former NBA star and jazz musician. Shows in development include quarterly specials Magic in the Making, hosted by Johnson; Change Makers, a look at how celebs impact their community and reality series The Graduates.

ASPiRE continues its commitment to HBCU sports, with six football games and 12 basketball games, and the 18th year of sports highlights show Inside the Game, as well as its pro-social campaign, “ASPiRE to Change the Game,” raising awareness of categories of concern for the next generation of African-Americans.

They sure know how to make an entrance. For Reelz‘s first-ever, Oktoberfest-themed Upfront event at NYC’s Hudson Hotel, the net’s Polka Kings cast presented its programming slate – via polka song. And the band played on as guests danced And drank beer. And mingled with the casts of Beverly Hills Pawn, Hollywood Hillbillies, The Capones and Treasure Kings. “As we continue building on the momentum generated by the success of Hollywood Hillbillies and Beverly Hills Pawn,” said CEO Stan E. Hubbard, “we’re excited to offer our viewers and advertisers a lively and fun environment in which to experience our network.”

Reelz introduced a lineup that includes docu-series Mansion Matchmakers, centered on the world of a high-end property rental business and Branson Cab, about family-run taxi company in Branson, Missouri. Miniseries The Disciples follows the Apostles through their journeys of faith.

“We have hit series, new original programming and a totally new daytime lineup,” said Bill Rosolie, SVP of ad sales, “and as an independent network we’ll leverage that to create opportunities for our partners that are a lot trickier for big networks to execute.”

ITV Studios Global Entertainment signed a raft of programming deals totaling more than 500 hours with digital platforms and TV broadcasters across China and Thailand, including a multi-year drama output deal with Tencent, a leading provider of comprehensive Internet services in China, for over 100 hours titles such as Dancing On The Edge, Endeavour, Murdoch Mysteries and Miranda.

RATINGS

The series finale of Syfy‘s Being Human was the number one cable drama Tuesday night among A18-49 at 9p. The closer drew 1.4 million viewers, 750,000 A18-49 and 728,000 A25-54.

CBS‘s NCIS, Tuesday’s most-watched program, was three tenths under NBC‘s The Voice in A18-49 but beat the younger-skewing singing competition in A25-54 (3.8 to 3.7).

FX‘s Justified finale on Tuesday averaged 2.4 million viewers, according to Nielsen early numbers, up 16 percent versus last week and 5 percent over the season four ender. Among A18-49, the show drew a .8 rating; last year’s finale rating was .7.

The week of March 31, Destination America tied for its best week ever in Prime among HH delivery (190,000), driven by the weekend’s performance of the season two premiere of Mountain Monsters and the season three finale of Hillbilly Blood. Friday was the network’s best Friday night ever in key demos among P/M25-54/18-49 for HH and P2+ delivery.

Tuesday A18-49 Analysis:CBS and NBC tied for the most A18-49 viewers Tuesday with 2.1/6, according to Nielsen. NBC’s The Voice won the 8p hour with 2.9/9, followed by 2.6/9 for CBS’s NCIS. CBS won 9p with 2.3/7 for NCIS: Los Angeles, versus a 1.6/5 average for NBC’s About a Boy and Growing Up Fisher. NBC’s Chicago Fire took 10p with 1.8/5; Univision came in second with 1.3/4 for Que Pobres Tan Ricos.

Amy Powell, named president of relaunched Paramount Television last summer, has set a team in place to rev up development in the new division. Jason Fisher is Head of Production, a title he held at AMC; David Goldman, who oversaw business and legal matters at ABC Studios, is Head of Business Affairs; new Head of Comedy Development Jennifer Howell comes from 20th Century Fox; Stephanie Love, a 20-plus year Paramount vet, takes the role of Head of Finance, and Annette Savitch, who ran Handsomecharlie Films, is Head of Drama Development.

NBCUniversal named Alison Moore to the newly created position of General Manager and Executive Vice President, TV Everywhere for the Content Distribution group. Most recently, Moore was GM/EVP of Daily Candy.

Paul Duong was appointed Vice President of Programming and Scheduling for TV One. Duong makes the move from The Weather Channel, where he had been Senior Director of Program Scheduling for Content and Development.

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